However the miner noted at the time that it will hold off from ramping up in to full production, and will merely be in readiness to move into full mining operations once global coking coal prices recover.

"Fences and signage have been erected and current activities are clearing areas for coal storage and site infrastructure and initial earthworks for the installation of water management systems.

"Over the coming months Bathurst will carry out further preliminary site works at Escarpment but will defer the full development of the mine until international coking coal prices improve," it stated.

"Coal recovered during this construction phase will be sold into existing contracts."

Bathurst MD Hamish Bohannan added that Bathurst's "initial activities will low key during this first phase of development; the intention is to prepare the site to a point where we can quickly ramp up to steady state mining when the price of export coking coal recovers".

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